In the series, it is nowhere described clearly that Naruto is autistic. Of course, his behaviour showed autistic traits due to his firm determination and difficulty in social interactions.
But I would say these features actually depict his upbringing and personality rather than autism. Moreover, anywhere in the series focuses on Naruto’s growth rather than addressing his mental health diagnosis.
Naruto’s Personality and Behaviors
Naruto has always been known for his firm determination, bold personality, and lack of social interaction. Now, at some point, all of these features actually resemble the traits of autism.
And that’s why viewers would also get confused if Naruto had autism. However, nowhere in the series has it been shown that Naruto had autism. Instead, these features depicted Naruto’s strong focus on achieving his goal of becoming a Hokage and getting recognised by the village.
Character Traits Similar to Autistic Behaviors
We may think that Naruto isn’t autistic, but he does portray some behaviours that could make us assume that he is autistic. And we’re going to look at it one by one.
- Intense Focus: Naruto normally dreams of becoming the Hokage, and to do that, he has to gain recognition from his village. And in pursuing his goal, he keeps working tirelessly day and night. Though he is doing all this to get the attention of the villagers, this behaviour is actually found in autistic individuals.
- Social Misunderstandings: Naruto was often misunderstood by others when it comes to social norms. Moreover, it happened that Naruto would often misunderstand them during his interaction with other people, which often led to awkward situations. And this is also normally one of the few characteristics of autism.
- Emotional Regulation: Naruto faced many difficulties dealing with emotions, especially at the beginning of the series. His quick temper, extreme happiness, and too much sadness would make people wonder if he was autistic.
Naruto’s Upbringing and Environment
Naruto’s upbringing and environment have also some to his behaviour:
- Isolation and Loneliness: The fact that he was an orphan and outcast from the village due to the nine-tailed beast sealed inside him made him feel isolated and lonely. So, this loneliness and lack of social interactions actually might resemble many of his behaviours that are autistic traits.
- Lack of Early Guidance: Being an orphan at an early age made him lack the guidance parents normally provide to their children regarding social norms. So this actually resulted in him trying to seek attention and connect with others anyhow, but it was not at all connected with autism in any way.
Fan Discussions and Interpretations
Due to the autistic traits reflected in Naruto, fans keep on discussing whether Naruto really had autism. Moreover, many fans interpret it to be the representation of neurodiversity.
Now, though such interpretations provide insights to help viewers feel more connected to Naruto, they are not supported by anime or the manga’s content.
Conclusion
So, finally, I would say that Naruto wasn’t autistic. Of course, he had intense focus and lack of social interaction would show autistic traits, but these features were seen only because of his upbringing and the environment he had since his childhood.
